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Issue:

Nine years after his retirement, thousands lined up at stores across the country to shell out id=mce_marker80 for the black and white Jordans -- named for Michael Jordan, who carried the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships in the 1990s -- that went on sale at midnight Thursday. If you know Nike, or if you just watched the news over the Christmas weekend, then you know there was a little craziness surrounding the release of the new Nike Air Jordan. There were long lines in Houston with pushing and short tempers, and violence erupted at shoe stores across the country as people tried to purchase Nike’s new retro Air Jordan sneakers, released just in time for Christmas. It’s a riot featuring stampedes, gunfire, fisticuffs, smashed property, smushed customers and police having to keep idiots from killing themselves. “We are extremely concerned to hear of the reported crowd incidents around the launch of the Air Jordans XI at some select retail locations,” said a Nike statement. “Consumer safety and security is of paramount importance. We encourage anyone wishing to purchase our product to do so in a respectful and safe manner.” Within hours of the release of the new design, hundreds of pairs of the shoes were on sale on eBay, some for more than $500. Many of the pairs already had dozens of bidders. Air Jordans bring in an estimated id=mce_marker billion for Nike every year.

Question:

What do you think about this craziness all over a pair of shoes, and do you think Nike could do something to better control the safety of consumers?

Winston Lorenz

I love some J’s but that’s crazy. Nike could make more of them or release them online so people don’t fight over them like this, then again if everyone had them, they wouldn’t be as special.

Byron Henson

This is dumb and just plain ignorant. Fist fights, guns, broken doors at the mall. Children almost trampled. Stupid is, as stupid does. They’re just shoes. The Nike spokesman seemed to be almost gloating over events. Tacky.

Leon Ratcliff

As long as people think they’ll have “it” all with the next great thing, gym shoes, smart phone, purse, there will be sad stories like this. Violence and destruction over a pair of shoes? Only in America. They could release these online or something so then all people could harm are themselves and their computer.

Marcy Alexander

What the heck is wrong with people? It’s a pair of shoes! They need to get a life. If 2012 were to happen it might be a blessing because the human race sure seems to be not evolving but devolving. I mean people are running over others just to get a pair of shoes, so sad and sickening.